This 30-Minute Workout Will Help You Build and Maintain Upper-Body Strength

Get ready to hit chest, back, and arms all with one quick upper-body workout. Powered by trainer and strength coach Nicolette Amarillas, this 30-minute class is designed to build and maintain upper-body strength. You’ll start with a simple bodyweight warmup, firing up the entire body and hovering in various plank positions. If you’re not sure what weight to use moving forward, Amarillas recommends going heavier for big moves like chest presses and rowing, and lighter for smaller, single-joint movements.

From here, you’ll grab your dumbbells for the first of three challenging training blocks. The first two blocks focus on arms, alternating between pushing and pulling moves like overhead presses, bent-over rows, and lat pull-downs to target your biceps, triceps, and shoulders. “Exposing your body to the same movements and muscle groups within a workout is really important,” Amarillas says before heading into the second set of exercises. “You’re giving your body the opportunity to learn, to grow, and to get better.”

Once your arms are sufficiently worn out, you’ll finish off the workout with a brief section completely dedicated to core strength. You’ll do three core moves for 30 seconds each, including heel drops, toe-reach crunches, and hollow body holds. Weights are recommended for this workout but not required. Feel free to mix up your weights as you go, choosing what works best for you. And remember: you’re your own best cheerleader, in workouts and in life. “There’s never anything too small to celebrate, whether it be this workout, whether you go on a walk, whether you cook yourself dinner for the first time in weeks — celebrate everything!” Amarillas says.

Check out new workouts every week on the POPSUGAR Fitness YouTube channel and kick-start your workout routine with POPSUGAR’s new line of affordable fitness equipment available at Walmart. Here’s to working toward a happy, healthy you.

Nicolette Amarillas
Outfit: Old Navy
Shoes: APL

Mikayla Campbell
Outfit: Nike
Shoes: APL

Paulyn Baens
Outfit: Old Navy
Shoes: APL